The Amphibian Development ClipArt gallery includes 30 illustrations of the typical stages of development for amphibians from eggs to adult.

Development of young warty-newts.

Development of young warty-newts

Development of young warty-newts.

A cluster of frog eggs

Frog Eggs

A cluster of frog eggs

A line of toad eggs

Toad Eggs

A line of toad eggs

"Figure 1 represents the embryo as it appears several days after the egg is deposited." — Goodrich. 1859

Embryo

"Figure 1 represents the embryo as it appears several days after the egg is deposited." — Goodrich.…

"Figure 2 gives an outline of its form; the arrows at the side of the head show the currents of water which are seen to flow to the branchiae by the breathing of the young animal." — Goodrich. 1859

Form of the embryo

"Figure 2 gives an outline of its form; the arrows at the side of the head show the currents of water…

"The Tadpole is the larva of the anurous amphibia, sometimes so far extended as to include larvaæ of the urodela, which undergo a much less complete metamorphosis. At first the young have no respiratory organs or limbs. They are all head and tail with simple entire gills which soon disappear, to be followed by others of more complicated structure, situated within the cavity of the body as in fishes. After a certain length of time the hind legs begin to appear, the head becomes more developed, and the body assumes a more compact form. Still later the forelegs are found to exist fully formed beneath the skin and ready ultimately to burst forth. The tadpole at first seems to derive its subsistence from the fluid absorbed within its body and on the surface, but soon begins to seek its food amidst softened or decomposing vegetable matter. From that period the tadpole begins to assume more and more the appearance of a frog. Toes appear on its hind legs, the tail very rapidly disappears by absorption, and finally the fore-legs become fully developed and the metamorphosis of the tadpole is completed."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Frog Eggs

"The Tadpole is the larva of the anurous amphibia, sometimes so far extended as to include larvaæ…

"Longitudinal vertical section of frog embryo, shortly before closure of blastopore. FB., fore-brain; EC., ectoderm; N., notochord; SC., canal of spinal cord; NE., nerenteric canal; B., blastopore; M., mesoderm; P., beginning of pituitary invagination." -Thomson, 1916

Frog Embryo

"Longitudinal vertical section of frog embryo, shortly before closure of blastopore. FB., fore-brain;…

"Division of frog's ovum. The numbers indicate the number of cells or blastomeres." -Thomson, 1916

Frog Ovum Division

"Division of frog's ovum. The numbers indicate the number of cells or blastomeres." -Thomson, 1916

Eggs laid by frogs in water.

Frog Spawn

Eggs laid by frogs in water.

"Life history of a frog. Developing ova." -Thomson, 1916

Frog Stage 1

"Life history of a frog. Developing ova." -Thomson, 1916

"Life history of a frog. Newly hatched forms hanging to water-weeds. Stages with external gills." -Thomson, 1916

Frog Stage 2

"Life history of a frog. Newly hatched forms hanging to water-weeds. Stages with external gills." -Thomson,…

"Life history of a frog. Tadpoles during emergence of limbs." -Thomson, 1916

Frog Stage 3

"Life history of a frog. Tadpoles during emergence of limbs." -Thomson, 1916

"Life history of a frog. Tadpoles with both pairs of limbs apparent." -Thomson, 1916

Frog Stage 4

"Life history of a frog. Tadpoles with both pairs of limbs apparent." -Thomson, 1916

"Life history of a frog. Metamorphosis to frog." -Thomson, 1916

Frog Stage 5

"Life history of a frog. Metamorphosis to frog." -Thomson, 1916

A pollywog, another phase of tadpole development.

Pollywog

A pollywog, another phase of tadpole development.

"The Tadpole is the larva of the anurous amphibia, sometimes so far extended as to include larvaæ of the urodela, which undergo a much less complete metamorphosis. At first the young have no respiratory organs or limbs. They are all head and tail with simple entire gills which soon disappear, to be followed by others of more complicated structure, situated within the cavity of the body as in fishes. After a certain length of time the hind legs begin to appear, the head becomes more developed, and the body assumes a more compact form. Still later the forelegs are found to exist fully formed beneath the skin and ready ultimately to burst forth. The tadpole at first seems to derive its subsistence from the fluid absorbed within its body and on the surface, but soon begins to seek its food amidst softened or decomposing vegetable matter. From that period the tadpole begins to assume more and more the appearance of a frog. Toes appear on its hind legs, the tail very rapidly disappears by absorption, and finally the fore-legs become fully developed and the metamorphosis of the tadpole is completed."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Tadpole

"The Tadpole is the larva of the anurous amphibia, sometimes so far extended as to include larvaæ…

"The Tadpole is the larva of the anurous amphibia, sometimes so far extended as to include larvaæ of the urodela, which undergo a much less complete metamorphosis. At first the young have no respiratory organs or limbs. They are all head and tail with simple entire gills which soon disappear, to be followed by others of more complicated structure, situated within the cavity of the body as in fishes. After a certain length of time the hind legs begin to appear, the head becomes more developed, and the body assumes a more compact form. Still later the forelegs are found to exist fully formed beneath the skin and ready ultimately to burst forth. The tadpole at first seems to derive its subsistence from the fluid absorbed within its body and on the surface, but soon begins to seek its food amidst softened or decomposing vegetable matter. From that period the tadpole begins to assume more and more the appearance of a frog. Toes appear on its hind legs, the tail very rapidly disappears by absorption, and finally the fore-legs become fully developed and the metamorphosis of the tadpole is completed."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Tadpole

"The Tadpole is the larva of the anurous amphibia, sometimes so far extended as to include larvaæ…

A larva frog.

Tadpole

A larva frog.

"Dissection of tadpole. DL., Lower lip; H., ventricle of heart; DE., oesophagus; NA., head kidney; A., aorta; K., kidney; KU., ureter; DO., cloaca; LH., hind-limb; KV., opening of ureter into cloaca; GR., genital ridge; GF., fatty body; LF., fore-limb; OG., gills; a, epidermis; b, dermis." -Thomson, 1916

Tadpole Dissection

"Dissection of tadpole. DL., Lower lip; H., ventricle of heart; DE., oesophagus; NA., head kidney; A.,…

A developing tadpole.

A developing tadpole

A developing tadpole.

A developing tadpole.

Developing tadpole

A developing tadpole.

A developing tadpole.

Developing tadpole

A developing tadpole.

A tadpole developing, with small rear legs beginning to form.

Developing tadpole

A tadpole developing, with small rear legs beginning to form.

A close up view of the head of a developing embryonic tadpole.

A developing tadpole's head

A close up view of the head of a developing embryonic tadpole.

The illustration is showing both inside and outside view of the tadpole. The left inside view shows the tadpole with two front legs, heart, intestines, and gills. The right image shows the tadpole with frog like features with forelegs, back legs, and a tail.

Inside and Outside View of Tadpole During Metamorphosis

The illustration is showing both inside and outside view of the tadpole. The left inside view shows…

"Figure 5 shows the form of the tadpole when first hatched, which usually takes place about four weeks after depositing the egg." — Goodrich. 1859

Newly hatched tadpole

"Figure 5 shows the form of the tadpole when first hatched, which usually takes place about four weeks…

The development of a toad, image 1.

Toad

The development of a toad, image 1.

The development of a toad, image 3.

Toad

The development of a toad, image 3.

The development of a toad, image 4.

Toad

The development of a toad, image 4.

The development of a toad, image 5.

Toad

The development of a toad, image 5.